Contents
Water—Our Precious Natural Resource . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Mississippi’s Water Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Welcome to the Yazoo River Basin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Special Plants and Animals in the Yazoo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Land Use and Its Effects on Water Quality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Water Quality in the Yazoo River Basin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Mississippi’s Basin Management Approach . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Priority Watersheds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
What Agencies and Organizations Are Working to Improve Water Quality? . . . . . . . . . . 30
Sustaining Our Environmental Resources and Economic Development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
About this Guide
Acknowledgments
Mississippi’s Citizen Guides to Water Quality
are intended to inform you about:
This guide is a product of the Yazoo River Basin
„
Mississippi’s abundant water resources,
state and federal agencies, and stakeholder
„
Natural features, human activities, and
water quality in a particular river basin,
Team, consisting of representatives from 29
organizations (see page 30 of this document for
a complete listing). The lead agency for
developing, distributing, and funding this guide
„
„
The importance of a healthy environment
to a strong economy,
is the Mississippi Department of Environmental
Watersheds targeted for water quality
restoration and protection activities,
2006 under a Clean Water Act Section 319
Quality (MDEQ). This effort was completed in
Nonpoint Source grant, and included
publication services from Tetra Tech, Inc.
„
„
How to participate in protecting or
restoring water quality, and
Copies of this guide may be obtained by
contacting:
Who to contact for more information.
It is hoped that these guides will enhance the
dialogue between citizens and key decision
makers to help us improve our management
of Mississippi’s precious water resources. We
encourage you to invest in this effort—read
this guide and get involved in restoring and
protecting our water resources for future
generations.
2
Information Center
Mississippi Department of
Environmental Quality
PO Box 10385
Jackson, MS 39289-0385
601-961-5171
or by accessing MDEQ’s website at:
www.deq.state.ms.us
Citizen’s Guide to Water Quality in the Yazoo River Basin
WaterOur Precious Natural Resource
The water cycle.
Nature has its own recycling program. You see it in the fog, cloud, and rain. When rain falls
to the earth, it sinks into the ground (infiltration), returns to the air (evaporation and
transpiration) or
flows over the
land—called
stormwater runoff.
precipitation
clouds form
Stormwater runoff
carries dissolved
runoff
and suspended
particles, such as
transpiration
chemicals and
infiltration to ground water
sediment. So the
evaporation
way we use the
land directly
affects both the
quality and the
plant uptake
ground water accessed
through well
quantity of water
in our streams and
lakes.
What is a watershed?
We all live in a watershed—the area that drains to a
common waterway, such as a stream, lake, wetland,
estuary or large river like the Yazoo or Mississippi—and
our individual actions can directly affect it. Watersheds come in all shapes and sizes. Very large
watersheds are often called river basins. Smaller
watersheds nest within large river basins.
For example, the Abiaca Creek, Hickahala
Creek, and Bee Lake watersheds are all
within the Yazoo River Basin. Watersheds
can cross county, state, and national
boundaries. No matter where you are,
you’re in a watershed!
Citizen’s Guide to Water Quality in the Yazoo River Basin
3
Mississippi’s water resources
Lake Susie
Mississippi has 10 major river basins with 86,000 miles of streams.
„
Most of our streams (63%) flow only during rainy periods,
and are called intermittent streams.
The rest of our streams flow year round, with a baseflow
fed by ground water.
„
The state is covered with hundreds of lakes, reservoirs,
and ponds that provide wonderful recreation, as well as
irrigation for farmers and habitat
for fish and wildlife.
„
There are over 2,400 miles
of man-made ditches and canals
used for drainage and
transportation, such as the
164-mile Tennessee-Tombigbee
Waterway.
Mississippi Delta
Grenada Lake and
Yalobusha River
USACE
„
Enid Reservoir and
Yocona River
USACE
„
Fishing at John Stennis Lake,
USACE
Columbus, MS
Sailing on
Jamie Whitten Lake
Piny Grove Beach on Jamie Whitten Lake, Dennis,
MS
USACE
Chunky River at Dunns Falls
Polypipe irrigation
Aberdeen Lock and Dam on the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway
4
Citizen’s Guide to Water Quality in the Yazoo River Basin
USDA NRCS
Our economy and quality of
life depend on this network
of waterways.
Remnant of a cypress/tupelo wetland in an oxbow in central Mississippi
„ Wetlands cover about 2.7 million acres, providing
habitat for wildlife and natural filters for cleaning
stormwater runoff on its way downstream.
Cypress swamp in
the Tenn-Tom Waterway
„ Most of the water in our streams and rivers flows to
some point along Mississippi’s 86-mile coastline. Many
flow into estuarine embayments—St. Louis Bay, Back
Bay of Biloxi, and Pascagoula Bay—before entering the
Mississippi Sound. Those waters then flow past our
barrier islands out into the Gulf of Mexico. Other
waters, like the Yazoo River, flow into the Mississippi
River which discharges directly into the Gulf of Mexico
south of New Orleans. In total, Mississippi’s estuarine
waters cover over 750 square miles.
Gulfport Harbor
Mississippi River Bridge at Vicksburg
Citizen’s Guide to Water Quality in the Yazoo River Basin
5
Welcometo the Yazoo River Basin
The Yazoo is the largest river basin in
Mississippi, with over 13,000 square miles
draining all or parts of 30 counties. It
makes up 30% of the state and is home to
one-fifth of the population of Mississippi.
Winding through this basin are about
25,000 miles of streams and rivers—if laid
end to end, they would reach all the way
around the Earth at the equator.
6
Citizen’s Guide to Water Quality in the Yazoo River Basin
Grenada Tourism Commission, Grenada, MS
Well-Known Fishing and Recreation Areas
Many of the lakes in the Yazoo Basin are a fisherman’s paradise, and
offer all around fun for the whole family. One well-known recreation
area is Grenada Lake, on the Yalobusha and Skuna rivers—home to
the “Thunder on Water” Festival held annually in June. Enid Lake
has lots of equestrian trails, swimming beaches, and boat ramps,
and Payne Cossar State Park. Enid and Grenada lakes draw
fishermen from miles around to catch large mouth bass and
crappie. Arkabutla Lake is known for its abundant crappie, camping,
swimming, and sailing. Lake Chotard and Tunica Lake have bluegill
breams and crappie. And if you want catfish along with your
crappie, go to Lake Washington!
Fishing rodeo at the “Thunder on the Water” Festival
The Yazoo Basin is primarily a rural
area; more than 60% of the basin
area is used for farming. The basin
has two distinct regions, each with
its own story about water quality:
Grenada Lake
„ Bluff Hills—the hilly upland
area where the streams
originate among lush oak and
hickory forests, and where
pastures dominate the rural
landscape. There are four major
reservoirs in this portion of the
basin important for recreation
and flood control—Sardis,
Grenada, Arkabutla, and Enid.
„ The Delta—the flat lowland area
between the Yazoo and
Mississippi rivers characterized
by slow moving water and an
extensive system of oxbow
lakes. This highly productive
agricultural region is known for
its cotton, corn, soybeans, rice,
and catfish.
Crop dusting, Holmes County
Citizen’s Guide to Water Quality in the Yazoo River Basin
7
The Yazoo River Basin
Port of Vicksburg on Yazoo River
Yazoo Communities
Oxford
The City of Oxford is home to the
University of Mississippi, which opened in
1848. With a year-round population of
Photo courtesy of Oxford Tourism Council
12,000 people, the City draws tourists to
8
the Oxford Conference for the Book,
Oxford Film Festival, Ole Miss and its
sporting events, as well as the City’s
popular downtown square. Recently,
Oxford has become a popular retirement
area because of its cultural events,
reasonable cost of living, fine restaurants,
and other amenities important to retirees.
Citizen’s Guide to Water Quality in the Yazoo River Basin
Vicksburg National Military Park
The park was established in 1899 to
commemorate one of the most decisive battles in
the American Civil War. Located high on a bluff,
Vicksburg, “the Gilbraltar of the Confederacy,”
was the fortress guarding the Mississippi River.
The Vicksburg Campaign began March 29, 1863.
It went on to include battles at Port Gibson,
Raymond, Jackson, Champion Hill, and the Big
Black River, and 47 days of Union seige
operations against the Confederate forces
defending the City of Vicksburg. Its surrender on
CSA Cairo, Vicksburg National Military Park
July 4, 1863 divided the South and gave the
North undisputed control over the Mississippi
River. The battlefield has been preserved in
excellent condition as part of our national
Greenville Washington County CVB
heritage.
Yazoo Communities
Greenville
Greenville, in Washington County, is
the Delta’s largest city (about 42,000
residents). As Mississippi’s largest
river port, Greenville is known for its
shipping and towboat industry, and
also has a diverse manufacturing
economy. Two nearby universities,
Delta State and Mississippi Valley
Belmont Plantation
education. Lake Ferguson is home to
dockside gaming facilities and is also popular for sport fishing.
Sports Afield magazine named Greenville as one of the nation’s
most popular outdoor communities. The Delta Blues and
Heritage Festival in September draws people from around the
world to pay tribute to a unique style of music born in the
Mississippi Delta.
Citizen’s Guide to Water Quality in the Yazoo River Basin
Mississippi Delta Blues and Heritage Festival
State, provide opportunities for higher
9
Special Plants and Animals
in the Yazoo
The Yazoo River Basin provides homes to several endangered plants and animals. Good water quality and
protection of habitat are essential to support these species.
USFWS
Why do some plants and animals become rare or endangered? In most cases, they have special needs that
compete with our uses of the land. Black bears need large forests, and agriculture and development limit
the area where they can live. Least terns and pallid sturgeons are both affected by the hydro-modification
of the Mississippi River. Some, like the bald eagle, are susceptible to toxic chemicals. Others, like the
pondberry, grow in the lowland forests of the Delta and have become rare as these forestlands were
converted to agricultural lands. As we learn what leads to the decline of certain species, we can take the
necessary steps to help restore and sustain them.
Least Tern, Sterna antillarum
These birds nest on coastal beaches and sandbars of large rivers. In
Mississippi, they live along the Gulf Coast and along the banks of the
Mississippi River. They hover about 40 feet over the water and dive into
the water to capture small fish. Least terns are endangered along the
Mississippi River because their habitat is disturbed by hydromodification
and recreational use of sandbars.
Bald Eagle, Haliaeetus leucocephalus
USFWS
This majestic animal is our national bird, and became
endangered due to the effects of DDT. After DDT was
banned in the U.S., the bald eagle has gradually recovered.
It is a huge bird, with a wing-span of over six feet! Bald
eagles live near large bodies of water such as the Mississippi
River and large lakes in the Yazoo River Basin. They have
incredibly sharp vision and swoop down and snatch fish out
of the water with their powerful talons. They also eat reptiles, small mammals, and waterfowl. Protection of our
national bird should be a priority for all of us.
Pondberry, Lindera melissifolia
This shrub, which can attain a height of six feet, is found in isolated
locations within seasonally flooded forests of the southeastern United
States. In the Yazoo River Basin, it is found in just a few locations,
most notably in the Delta National Forest. It reproduces mainly by
growing runners in the soil that root and produce new stems. This
plant was listed as endangered primarily due to the clearing of its
forested habitat for other uses. The population in the Delta National
Forest is being studied by scientists in order to learn how to maintain
and enhance pondberry to insure its long-term survival.
10
Citizen’s Guide to Water Quality in the Yazoo River Basin
Little is known about this big, strange-looking fish. It lives
in the main channels of large rivers, and is found primarily
in the Mississippi and Missouri rivers. The pallid sturgeon
has a flattened shovel-shaped nose, boney plates on its
body, and can grow to six feet in length! Its decline and
listing as an endangered species was likely due to loss of
spawning habitat, changes in food sources, and competition from shovel-nosed sturgeon. There is one report of
pallid sturgeon in the Yazoo River Basin. Scientists are
studying the fish to better understand how to protect it.
USFWS
Pallid sturgeon, Scaphirhynchus albus
While the black bear is common throughout much of the
U.S., it is very rare in Mississippi—only 25 to 50 black
bears are believed to be here. The Louisiana Black Bear is
an endangered species found in the Yazoo River Basin
south of US Highway 82, while the American Black Bear
is a protected species in Mississippi found north of Highway 82. Temperatures in Mississippi are warm enough
that black bears do not truly hibernate, but become
inactive for short periods of time. In the Yazoo River
Basin, most bear sitings have been in lowland forests
near the Mississippi River. Black bears like a variety of
foods, such as fruits, nuts, fish, eggs, and insects. They
usually use brush piles on high ground or hollows in big
trees for their winter dens.
Southern Redbelly Dace, Phoxinus erthrogaster
Breeding males of this minnow develop bright red color on their
undersides, thus earning their name. The Yazoo River Basin has
two isolated populations that could be threatened by habitat
changes such as erosion and removal of stream bank trees.
William Roston
USFWS
Black Bear, Ursus americanus luteolus
Other Special Animal Species
Gulf Sturgeon, Acipenser oxyrinchus desotoi
A fish species listed federally as threatened, with one documented occurrence in the Delta.
Piebald Madtom, Notorus gladiator
A fish species listed by the State as vulnerable.
Red-Cockaded Woodpecker, Picoides borealis
This bird used to thrive throughout the southeastern United States.
Bewick’s Wren, Thryomanes bewickii
A state endangered bird species.
Citizen’s Guide to Water Quality in the Yazoo River Basin
11
Land Use and Its Effects
on Water Quality in the Yazoo River Basin
Our water is affected by our day-to-day activities.
Urban areas, highways, forests, wetlands, and
agriculture all have different influences on the
amount and quality of water that runs off
into streams and rivers. The Yazoo River
Basin has two very different regions with
their own unique stories about land use.
The Delta occupies an extensive flat,
low-lying floodplain generally
between the Yazoo and
Mississippi rivers to the west.
The Bluff Hills to the east is
made up of hilly upland
areas where most of the
rivers originate.
Legend
Urban
Cropland
Pasture
Aquaculture
Upland Forest
Brush/Regrowing Forest
Lowland Forest
Wetland
Water/Lakes
12
Citizen’s Guide to Water Quality in the Yazoo River Basin
Agriculture/Aquaculture
Most of the land in the Yazoo is used for
farming. The Delta holds some of the world’s
most fertile soil, supporting crops of soybeans, cotton, corn, and rice. In recent years,
state and federal agencies have stressed the
need for soil conservation and good farm
practices, such as no till farming, strategic
tree planting, and vegetated stream buffers,
which can keep the topsoil in place and
sediment out of the streams. Many of these
same practices help reduce the runoff of
nutrients from fertilizers and harmful pesticides or other farm chemicals that can attach
to the sediment and can be carried by rain
into our streams, rivers, and lakes.
In the Delta, with its extensive row cropland,
many irrigation, drainage, and flood control
structures have been built. These long-used
practices can alter the natural stream flow—a
flow critical for everyday support of
aquatic life. Even use of ground water
for irrigation is connected to low
stream flows because it can deplete
the stream’s baseflow (or stream flow
when it’s not raining).
If you enjoy catfish, it probably came
from the Delta. Catfish farming now
covers 135 square miles of the Delta,
and is concentrated in its central
portion. Like cropland, it also needs
proper management to keep nutrients
and organic matter from entering
streams and depleting dissolved
oxygen.
Eagle Bend Road-Highway 3
Harvesting catfish
In the Bluff Hills region, livestock and pastureland form the
backbone of the rural economy,
with farms totaling over
200,000 head of cattle. One
source of stress to water quality
in the region occurs when cows
graze near streams; the stream
banks and channels often
become unstable and erode.
Portions of the downstream
Yazoo River Basin cattle ranch
Citizen’s Guide to Water Quality in the Yazoo River Basin
13
Delta Wildlife
Tupelo
gum tree
swamp
Wetlands make up 1% of the Bluff Hills
Region, and 5% of the Delta Region. The national
and Mississippi wetland management goal is no
net loss. Why? Because wetlands are natural
sponges and filters that trap and transform
Northern end of
pollutants, store and infiltrate rainwater, and help
Lake Washington
replenish ground water and streamflow. Plus,
they provide a home to diverse birds, animals,
and plants. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
manages a permitting program (called 404
permits) to mitigate impacts on wetlands and
prevent their loss. The permitting program
protects much more area in the Yazoo River
Bluff Hills meet the Delta
Basin than the percentages listed above,
channels subsequently fill with sediment,
which can affect habitat for fish and other
aquatic life. Additionally, nutrients and
bacteria from the animal wastes can get into
the streams causing low dissolved oxygen
levels and other water quality problems. As
you will see in the section on Priority Watersheds, our Basin Team and the farming
community are already at work on these
problem areas, using pollutant reduction best
management practices, fencing to limit cattle
access to streams, improved stream crossings, prescribed grazing, and other good
management measures.
Forests
The history of the Delta’s agriculture is linked
to its history of forests. Once covered with
oak, gum, hickory and cypress forests and
swamps, much of the Delta’s lands have been
cleared and drained to support row crop
agriculture. The lowland forests that remain
in the Delta, also called “bottomland hardwood forests,” are found in river floodplains.
14
especially in the Delta where many lowland
forest areas are also classified as wetlands.
These forests, which now cover almost 17% of
the Delta, are subject to seasonal flooding as
well as periodic droughts. Because of where
many of these lowland forests are located,
they are also considered to be wetlands.
The Bluff Hills, on the other hand, have
extensive upland forest areas—most of the
Yazoo River Basin’s forests are found here.
Forestry is one of the major industries of the
Bluff Hills. Loblolly pine, shortleaf pine, oak,
and other trees are harvested to make lumber
and wood pulp products. Regrowing forests
(commonly referred to as cut-over) are so
extensive, they make up almost one-third of
the forest land in the Bluff Hills. Erosion and
runoff from unprotected clearcuts can load
sediment into the streams, destabilize stream
channels, and substantially reduce or eliminate aquatic habitat. MDEQ and the Mississippi Forestry Commission offer guidance for
Citizen’s Guide to Water Quality in the Yazoo River Basin
road building and tree harvesting that protects water quality such as improved stream
crossings, stream buffers, and select cutting.
Cities and Suburbs
Urban areas make up a small portion of the
Yazoo River Basin. Population in the basin
was stable between 1950 and 1990, but rapid
growth is now occurring in the northern
counties near Memphis, TN. DeSoto County
alone has nearly doubled its population
between 1990 and 2004, adding over 58,000
residents.
Nitrogen and phosphorus are
essential nutrients for plant
and animal growth. However,
excessive amounts can stimulate
harmful blooms of algae and
other aquatic plants in water
bodies. These blooms can make
lakes and rivers unsuitable for
fishing, swimming and boating.
Where urbanization has occurred or is occurring, it can have a big affect on water quality.
During highway and building construction,
land disturbance produces sedimentation and
erosion if the site is not properly managed.
Once construction is complete, stormwater
runoff from streets and parking lots can
increase pollution in the streams as well as
the volume and velocity of stream flow,
causing scouring, erosion, and sedimentation. The runoff frequently contains increased
amounts of pesticides, herbicides, and nutrients from fertilizers applied to managed
lawns and other landscaping. Another source
of nutrients is inadequate and failing wastewater treatment from septic systems. To help
curb these stormwater impacts on water
quality, the State has recently begun a regulatory program for urban areas and requires
Phase II NPDES Stormwater Permits (for a
description of the MDEQ permitting program,
see the section on Water Quality).
Broadway
Street, Yazoo
City
Nonpoint source (NPS) pollution,
Cities and towns bring industry, and these
industries often generate pollutants as byproducts such as toxic chemicals and heavy
metals. These have the potential to negatively
impact our streams and air. Mercury and
other pollutants discharged into the air can
travel many miles before settling out onto the
ground and washing into the Yazoo Basin’s
streams and lakes. Both air and water discharges are regulated by MDEQ through
permits to limit them to acceptable levels.
Citizen’s Guide to Water Quality in the Yazoo River Basin
unlike pollution from industrial and sewage
treatment plants, comes from many diffuse
sources. NPS pollution is caused by rainfall
moving over and through the ground. As the
runoff moves, it picks up and carries away
natural and human-made pollutants, finally
depositing them into lakes, rivers, wetlands,
coastal waters, and even our underground
sources of drinking water.
15
Water Quality
in the Yazoo River Basin
Surface Water Quality
In the past, what was known about the
condition of water bodies in the Yazoo Basin
was limited to a few well-studied lakes and
streams. More recent monitoring has
helped us better understand water
quality conditions across the entire
basin, and especially in the Bluff
Hills region.
Legend
Stream Condition
Very Good
Good
Fair
Poor
Very Poor
Perennial Stream
Reservoir
County
16
Citizen’s Guide to Water Quality in the Yazoo River Basin
Of streams monitored in the Bluff Hills
region, 23% are rated good or very good and
adequately support aquatic life (from aquatic
insects to fish). Another 36% are rated fair.
They have aquatic life that is only somewhat
impacted by pollution. Of major concern are
the 41% of streams in poor or very poor
condition, where the aquatic life is significantly impacted by pollution. Pollutants
include organic and nutrient enrichment
from animal wastes and failing septic systems, bacteria from those same sources, and
sediment from eroding lands (pasture, timber
operations, new development).
Surface Water Quality Standards
Mississippi water quality standards establish the goals for
protecting and maintaining the quality of our surface
waters (streams, lakes, and estuaries) so that they will
support their intended or designated uses. In Mississippi,
designated uses are fish and wildlife support, public water
supply, recreation, and shellfish harvesting. With the
exception of fish or wildlife support, not all uses apply to
each water body—rather each is assigned specific uses.
Criteria are set for a large number of water quality
parameters in order to protect each use. Monitoring is
then performed to
In the Delta, experts are currently determining the best way to monitor water quality
conditions. Even though general water quality
conditions across the Delta have yet to be
fully determined, fish tissue has been analyzed for toxic chemicals. Based on the
results, a Delta-wide fish consumption advisory recommends that people limit the
amount of carp, buffalo, gar, and catfish
(larger than 22 inches) they eat to no more
than two meals per month. The advisory
includes all natural waters including lakes,
rivers, bayous and sloughs. In addition, the
advisory recommends that people not eat
any buffalo fish from Roebuck Lake in Leflore
County. Commercial fishing is also banned
compare conditions
STAT E OF MI
SS ISS IPP I
WATE R QU AL
ITY CR ITE RIA
FO R INT RA ST
INT ER STAT E
AT E,
AN D CO AS TA
L WATE RS
in individual streams,
lakes or estuaries to
Adopted by Missi
ssippi
Commission
Approved by EPA: on Environmental Quality:
October 24, 2002
June 27, 2003
(Effective Date)
the criteria to assess
whether the waters
are supporting their
designated uses. The
criteria are also
utilized to set limits
MISSISSIPPI
DEPARTMENT
OF
OFFICE OF POLL ENVIRONMENTAL QUA
LITY
UTION CONTRO
L
P. O. BOX 10385
JACKSON, MISS
ISSIPPI 39289
-0385
on the amount of
pollution that can
be put into a water
body while still
protecting its uses.
How
can I learn more?
For more information on Mississippi’s
water quality standards, visit
www.deq.state.ms.us or contact MDEQ’s
Watershed Management Branch.
Roebuck Lake
Citizen’s Guide to Water Quality in the Yazoo River Basin
17
from Roebuck Lake. Likewise, two rivers and
several other lakes in the basin have specific
consumption advisories or fishing bans.
The advisory does not apply to the Mississippi River or the oxbow lakes located west of
the Mississippi River levee. The advisory also
does not apply to bass, bream, crappie,
freshwater drum and smaller catfish, nor
does it apply to farm-raised catfish. All of
these fish are safe to eat.
Lake Susie
Enid Reservoir and
Yocona River
Mississippi Delta
Fish consumption advisories for the Yazoo
River Basin are shown on the adjacent map
and listed in Table 1.
Grenada Lake and
Yalobusha River
MDEQ and other agencies have recently
conducted extensive water quality monitoring on a number of lakes in the basin. Results
are still being tabulated and have not yet
been released.
Legend
Fish Advisory
Mercury
How
PCB
DDT, Toxaphene
can I learn more?
Water
For more information on water quality in the
County
basin, see the state’s 2004 Water Quality
Assessment at www.mdeq.state.ms.us or
contact MDEQ’s Field Services Division.
Table 1. Yazoo Basin Fish Consumption Advisories
Water Body
Lake Susie, Oxbow Lake of Old Tallahatchie River in
Panola County west of Batesville
Chemical
Date
Issued
Action
PCB’s
Nov.
1989
Consumption Advisory All Species Commercial Fishing Ban
Enid Reservoir
Mercury
May
1995
Limit Consumption Advisory for largemouth bass and large
catfi sh (>27 in.)*
Yocona River from Enid Reservoir downstream to the
confluence with the Tallahatchie River
Mercury
Sept.
1996
Limit Consumption Advisory for largemouth bass and large
catfi sh (>27 in.)*
Grenada Lake and Yalobusha River from the dam
downstream to Holcomb
Mercury
June
2001
Limit Consumption Advisory for largemouth bass and large
catfi sh (>27 in.)*
Mississppi Delta—all waters from the mainline Mississippi
River Levee on the West to the Bluff Hills on the East
DDT,
Toxaphene
June
2001
Limit Consumption Advisory for carp, buffalo, gar, and large
catfi sh (>22 in.)**
Limit Consumption Advisory for carp, gar, and large catfi sh
(>22 in.)**
DDT,
Toxaphene
June
2001
No Consumption of Buffalo
Roebuck Lake, LeFlore County
Yazoo National Wildlife Refuge (all waters)
DDT,
Toxaphene
1975
Closed to fi shing***
Commercial Fishing Ban
* The Mississippi State Health Department recommends that people limit the amount of bass and large catfish that they eat from these areas because of high levels of mercury in the fish. Children
under seven and women of child bearing age should eat no more than one meal of these fish every two months. Other adults should eat no more than one meal of these fish every two weeks.
** The Mississippi State Health Department recommends that people limit their consumption of these fish to no more than one meal every two weeks.
*** Precautionary advisory issued by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
18
Citizen’s Guide to Water Quality in the Yazoo River Basin
Ground Water Protection
Ground water supplies all of the drinking
water in the Yazoo River Basin and a good
portion of the water used for irrigation. There
are more than 15,000 irrigation and fish
culture wells located in the Delta. The water
used for over 95% of the irrigation and 100%
of the fish culture is derived from the shallow
Mississippi River alluvial aquifer (MRVA).
Estimated ground water usage from the
MRVA averages approximately 1.3 to 1.5
billion gallons per day.
Drinking water resources are protected by the
federal Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). The
SDWA establishes safe drinking water criteria
(referred to as maximum contaminant levels
or MCLs) and it requires source water assessments. Under this program, the level of protection of drinking water resources is evaluated.
The public drinking water wells in the Yazoo
Basin are deep and draw from aquifers
protected naturally by thick layers of clay.
Likewise, the MRVA is overlain with a clay
layer that protects it from any significant
impacts. MDEQ has sampled 657 water wells
in the Yazoo Basin. Of this number, 505 were
irrigation and fish culture wells pumping
from the MRVA and 152 were from deeper
drinking water wells. Analyses of samples
included 100 widely-used pesticides and
Center pivot irrigation
various other constituents including volatile
organic compounds and inorganic compounds. No chemicals that exceeded Primary
Drinking Water Standards (MCLs) established
by EPA were detected. Although ground water
is generally of good quality in the basin,
natural coloration occurs in certain areas of
the region.
How
can I learn more?
For more information on ground water protection,
contact Charlie Smith with the MDEQ Office of
Land and Water Resources, Water Resources
Management Division, 601-961-5395 or visit the
MDEQ website at www.deq.state.ms.us.
As authorized by the federal Clean Water Act, the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System
(NPDES) permit program controls water pollution by regulating “point sources” that discharge pollutants
into waters of the United States. Point sources are discrete conveyances such as pipes or man-made
ditches. Individual homes that are connected to a municipal system, use a septic system, or do not have a
surface discharge do not need an NPDES permit; however, industrial, municipal, and other facilities must
obtain permits if their discharges go directly to surface waters. In Mississippi, the NPDES permit program
is administered by MDEQ. Since its introduction in the 1970s, the NPDES permit program is responsible
for significant improvements to our Nation’s and Mississippi’s water quality.
How
can I learn more?
For more information on NPDES Permitting, contact Harry Wilson with the MDEQ Office of Pollution Control,
Environmental Permits Division, 601-961-5190 or visit the MDEQ website at www.deq.state.ms.us.
Citizen’s Guide to Water Quality in the Yazoo River Basin
19
TMDLs
Total Maximum Daily Loads, TMDLs, are pollution budgets.
A TMDL determines how much of a pollutant can be
present in a stream, river, or lake without affecting
aquatic life or public health. TMDLs have been
developed for 165 streams, rivers, and lakes in the
Yazoo River Basin. Most of these TMDLs have
estimated the amount of sediments, persistent
pesticides or bacteria entering the waters
and how much these pollutants should be
reduced to restore healthy conditions.
Rural and urban communities will need
to work in partnership with resource
management agencies to maintain
and even restore the water quality
necessary to support aquatic life and
safe recreation in these waters. Table 2
provides a summary of completed
Legend
TMDLs. An additional 385 TMDLs will
2004 Completed TMDL
be developed by 2008 for the water
Perennial Stream
bodies remaining on the state’s
Lake
impaired waters list.
County
Table 2. Yazoo River Basin TMDL Summary
TMDLs Needed by December 2007
TMDLs
Completed Monitored Evaluated
Total
Biological Impairment
6
50
0
50
Mercury
2
0
1
1
Metals (Aluminum, Copper, and Lead)
0
0
1
1
Miscellaneous
4
0
5
5
Nutrients
34
0
83
83
Organic Enrichment/Low DO
28
0
64
64
Pathogens
41
3
5
8
Pesticides (including DDT and Toxaphene)
19
0
87
87
Sediment/Siltation
30
1
83
84
Toxicity (Total Toxics and Unknown Toxicity)
1
0
2
2
165
54
331
385
Total
How
can I learn more?
For more information on
TMDLs, contact Greg Jackson
with the MDEQ Office of
Pollution Control, Surface Water
Division, 601-961-5098 or visit
the MDEQ website at
www.deq.state.ms.us.
*Miscellaneous: Cause Unknown, Oil and Grease, PCBs, pH, and Salinity/TDS/Chlorides
20
Citizen’s Guide to Water Quality in the Yazoo River Basin
Mississippi’s
Basin Management Approach
The mission of the Basin Management Approach is
to foster stewardship of Mississippi’s water
resources through collaborative watershed
planning, education, protection, and restoration initiatives. To accomplish this mission,
Mississippi’s 10 major river basins have
been organized into five basin groups (see
map inset). Each basin group has a Basin
Team of state and federal agencies and
local organizations. This provides the
opportunity for multiple levels of government and local stakeholders to coordinate
their efforts. Together, Basin Team members help assess water quality, determine
causes and sources of problems, and by
consensus prioritize watersheds for water
quality restoration and protection activities.
The Basin Management Approach also
encourages and provides the opportunity
for Basin Team members to leverage
resources to address prioritized watersheds.
How
can I learn more?
Contact your Basin Coordinator:
Group 1
Big Black River, Tombigbee River, & Tennessee River
Mary Katherine Brown (601) 961-5348 z [email protected]
Group 2
Yazoo River & N. Independent Streams
Steve Goff (601) 961-5238 z [email protected]
Group 3
Pearl River & S. Independent Streams
Janet Chapman (601) 961-5266 z [email protected]
Group 4
Pascagoula River
Larry Estes (601) 961-5057 z [email protected]
Group 5
Coastal Streams
Larry Estes (601) 961-5057 z [email protected]
Citizen’s Guide to Water Quality in the Yazoo River Basin
21
Priority Watersheds
With so many water quality challenges, where
should we begin when considering what to
do to restore our degraded waters or
protect our waters that are already in
good condition? There is much to do, so
we need to set priorities and target
areas where our collective efforts
will have the greatest benefit.
2
1
3
4
5
10
9
6
7
8
11
13
12
Legend
Priority Watershed
Major River
County
22
Number
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
Watershed
Hickahala/Senatobia Creek
Lower Coldwater
Moon Lake
Grenada Lake
Quiver River
Bear Creek
Abiaca Creek
Bee Lake
Indian Bayou
Deer Creek
Lake Washington
Steele Bayou
Dump Lake
Citizen’s Guide to Water Quality in the Yazoo River Basin
Bee Lake
Bee Lake WIT
Management planning
A Yazoo River Basin Team of 25 local, state,
and federal resource agencies, with strong
input from the general public and active local
stakeholder organizations, has developed a
list of priority watersheds for the Yazoo River
Basin. The team reviewed information on the
basin’s streams and lakes, and ranked watersheds based on several factors. These included resource value, type of water quality
data, level of support for management measures, and expected benefits. This resulted in
the targeting of watersheds for management
planning and implementation activities.
The Basin Team selected five Phase 1 Priority
Watersheds: Bee Lake, Bear Creek, Hickahala/
Senatobia creeks, Abiaca Creek-Tchula Lake,
and Lake Washington. In each of these
priority areas, watershed implementation
teams are being formed to coordinate restoration efforts throughout the watershed. Delta
Wildlife, Mississippi Soil & Water Conservation Commission (MSWCC), local Soil and
Water Conservation Districts (SWCD), Natural
Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), and
other team members are identifying where to
locate the best cost-effective projects to
improve water quality. Each team is incorporating this information into implementation
plans that will identify what each agency,
organization, and landowner is willing to do
to address identified problems. Highlights of
five of the priority watersheds follow.
Citizen’s Guide to Water Quality in the Yazoo River Basin
23
Bee Lake
Bee Lake
Bee Lake, a scenic Delta oxbow lake next to
Highway 49W, is in Holmes County. An
excellent crappie fishery has drawn fishermen to the lake for years. Public boat ramps,
fishing camps and cabins on the lake support
recreation. The watershed has some of the
most productive soils in the state, supporting
significant farming operations. In addition to
serving as an important fishery, water from
the lake is also used for an irrigation source.
Water control structure—slotted board riser
Sediment loading and low dissolved oxygen—
due to overabundance of nutrients—threaten
this popular fishing resource, as does an invasive species of aquatic vegetation.
Restoration efforts in this watershed will
employ the following management practices
to improve water quality and the recreational
use of the waters:
„ Bank stabilization projects
„ Grade stabilization structures
Planting a buffer zone
How
can I learn more and get involved?
„ Water control structures
Local participation and support are essential for
„ Riparian forest buffers (shrub and tree
the success of any restoration project. Join the
planting)
„ Grass filter strips and stiff grass hedges
„ Repaired septic systems
team and make a difference! For information
about restoration activities for the Bee Lake
watershed, contact Trey Cooke, (662-686-3370),
Watershed Implementation Team Leader.
„ Aquatic vegetation control
24
Citizen’s Guide to Water Quality in the Yazoo River Basin
Bear Creek at Swifttown
Bear Creek
Bear Creek is a large Delta watershed in
Sunflower, Leflore, and Humphreys counties.
It has over 16 oxbow lakes and numerous
cypress/tupelo gum brakes (areas thickly
overgrown with these plants) stretching from
Itta Bena to Belzoni. These lakes and brakes
are popular to fishermen and duck hunters.
The watershed is dominated by agricultural
lands. Its wide range of soils allows all major
commodity types to be grown, from catfish
to rice to cotton and soybeans. Farming in
the areas with more sandy soils and hilly
alluvial floodplains makes it difficult to
control sediment and erosion.
MDEQ has completed TMDLs for several
problem areas of the watershed and set
pollution reduction goals for nutrients,
organic enrichment, sediment, and pesticides. Restoration efforts in this watershed
will focus on reducing these pollutants to
improve water quality. The following types of
management practices are planned:
Switch grass planted for erosion control near the creek
How
can I learn more and get involved?
Bear Creek is a watershed with many needs. It
will take all of us—local stakeholders, resource
agencies and organizations—working together
to improve the quality of its waters to
„ Hydrology (stream) restoration
maximize the recreation and economic
„ Reforestation
potential of the watershed. Why don’t you join
„ Sediment retention structures
with us? For information about restoration
activities for the Bear Creek watershed, contact
„ Riparian forest buffers
Trey Cooke, (662-686-3370), Watershed
„ Grass filter strips
Implementation Team Leader.
Citizen’s Guide to Water Quality in the Yazoo River Basin
25
Hickakala Creek
Hickahala Creek and
Senatobia Creek Watersheds
Senatobia Creek
Located in Tate, Panola, and Marshall
counties in the Bluffs Region, over 80%
of these watersheds are used for agriculture
(approximately 60% for pasture and 20% for
growing corn, cotton, and soybeans).
Hickahala and Senatobia creeks are also
important tributaries for Arkabutla Lake, a
well-known recreational and flood-control
reservoir managed by the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers. Portions of three cities are located
in the watershed: Coldwater, Senatobia, and
Como.
Restoration efforts in this watershed will
focus on reducing organic enrichment caused
by animal waste nutrient loadings, and
reducing bacteria from animal wastes and
failing septic systems. Removing these
pollutants will improve water quality and the
recreational use of the waters.
Anticipated management measures include:
„ Fencing to limit cattle access to streams
„ Strategic tree and hay planting
„ Grade stabilization structures
„ Water and sediment control basins
„ Prescribed grazing
„ Improved stream crossings
How
can I learn more and get involved?
A successful restoration effort in the Hickahala
Creek and Senatobia Creek watersheds will not
only improve water quality in those watersheds,
but will also benefit water quality in Arkabutla
Lake. Local stakeholder involvement is the key!
Join the team and make a difference! For
information about restoration activities in either
of these watersheds, contact Mark Gilbert (601354-7645), Watershed Implementation Team
Leader.
26
Citizen’s Guide to Water Quality in the Yazoo River Basin
Pier at Tchula Lake
Abiaca Creek and Tchula Lake
Watersheds
Abiaca Creek and Tchula Lake are adjacent
rural watersheds located mostly in
Humphreys County in the southern portion of
the Delta. Abiaca Creek flows through Morgan
Brake National Wildlife Refuge—an important
conservation area. Restoration efforts in the
Abiaca Creek watershed will focus on reducing sediment and animal waste nutrient
loadings and bacteria from animal wastes
and failing septic systems. The reduction or
elimination of these pollutants will improve
the quality of the waters in the watershed.
Abiaca Creek
recreational infrastructure and improve the
water quality of Tchula Lake. To accomplish
this task, the Tchula Lake Restoration Task
Force and its partners are working to identify
resources and develop a watershed
implementation plan.
How
can I learn more and get involved?
Restoration of Abiaca Creek is an important
Anticipated management measures include:
component in improving water quality and
„ Strategic tree and cover crop planting
habitat in the Morgan Brake National Wildlife
„ Grade stabilization structures
Refuge. Restoration of Tchula Lake is an
„ Water and sediment control basins
important component for economic develop for
„ Filter strips
„ Field borders and riparian buffer
improvement
„ Livestock pollutant reduction BMPs
Tchula Lake is an important irrigation source
for agriculture in the area. A significant effort
is underway, led by the Town of Tchula and
supported by numerous state and federal
agencies, to develop wastewater and
Citizen’s Guide to Water Quality in the Yazoo River Basin
the City of Tchula and the Tchula Lake watershed.
It will take local stakeholders participating in
restoration efforts for success to occur. Join in
the effort to make a difference! For information
about watershed activities in the Abiaca Creek
watershed, contact Patrick Vowell (601-354-7645).
For information about restoration activities for
Tchula Lake, contact Steve Goff, (601-961-5238),
Watershed Implementation Team Leader.
27
Looking at the day’s catch
Lake Washington Watershed
Lake Washington is located in Washington
County approximately 20 miles south of the
City of Green-ville. The lake is an oxbow
formed by an abandoned meander of the
Mississippi River and is one of the most wellknown fishing areas in Mississippi. The
watershed has a complex series of natural
levees, slack water areas, and shallow depressions. Ditches and other hydrologic modifications have significantly altered natural drainage to Lake Washington. Farming dominates
the watershed, with cotton, soybeans, and
corn as the primary crops.
The Lake Washington watershed has been
designated as Mississippi’s nutrient reduction
showcase project. A Watershed Implementation Team is forming to develop a plan that
will identify resources and practices to be
used to reduce nutrient and sediment runoff
into the lake and improve water quality and
the recreational use of the lake. TMDLs and
additional monitoring developed by MDEQ
will be used to provide load reduction targets
for the watershed.
View of Lake Washington
How
can I learn more and get involved?
A successful restoration effort in the Lake
Washington watershed will improve water quality
for this well-known fishing resource. Join the
team and make a difference! For information
about restoration activities for the Lake
Washington watershed, contact Blake New,
(662-332-8616, ext. 3), Watershed
Implementation Team Leader.
28
Citizen’s Guide to Water Quality in the Yazoo River Basin
Planning and local team
building efforts are also
underway in additional
watersheds. To get involved
in implementation planning
for these watersheds,
contact the following:
Indian Bayou
For information on how to join the Indian
Bayou Watershed Implementation Team,
contact Paula Weaver (662-379-2910).
Moon Lake
Moon Lake
For information on how to become involved in a restoration effort for Moon Lake,
contact Dean Pennington (662-686-7712).
Lower Coldwater River (below Arkabutla Lake)
For information on how to become involved in a restoration effort for the Coldwater River watershed
below Arkabutla Lake, contact Dean Pennington (662-686-7712).
Deer Creek
For information on how to become involved in restoration efforts for the Deer Creek watershed,
contact Dean Pennington (662-686-7712).
Deer Creek – Rolling Fork/Cary
For information on how to become involved in a local restoration effort for Deer Creek at Rolling Fork
and Cary, MS, contact Meg Cooper (662-873-6261).
Quiver River
For information on how to become involved in a water conservation and restoration effort for the
Quiver River watershed, contact Dean Pennington (662-686-7712).
Upper Coldwater River
For information on how to become involved in a restoration effort for the upper Coldwater River
above Arkabutla Lake, contact Chad Pope (662-252-1155).
Deer Creek – Arcola
For information on how to become involved in a local restoration effort for Deer Creek at Arcola, MS,
contact Ronnie Yarborough (662-827-5884).
Tchula Lake
For information on how to become involved in a restoration effort for Tchula Lake,
contact Steve Goff (601-961-5238).
Citizen’s Guide to Water Quality in the Yazoo River Basin
29
What Agencies and Organizations Are Working to
Improve Water Quality?
Numerous state and federal agencies and stakeholder organizations are working together to
support the managed protection of the Yazoo River Basin. These include voluntary and/or
assistance programs that encourage the implementation of best management practices,
regulatory programs, monitoring and assessment programs, and watershed management
efforts. For more information on water quality activities or how to get involved in protecting
your watershed, contact:
State of Mississippi Agencies
Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry
Experiment Station (MAFES)
662-325-9803 www.msucares.com
Mississippi Board of Levee Commissioners
(MBLC)
662-334-4813 www.msleveeboard.org
Mississippi Department of Agriculture and
Commerce (MDAC)
601-359-1100 www.mdac.state.ms.us/index.asp
Mississippi Department of Environmental
Quality (MDEQ)
601-961-5171 www.deq.state.ms.us/mdeq
Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries,
and Parks (MDWFP)
601-432-2400 www.mdwfp.com
Mississippi Development Authority (MDA)
601-359-2832 www.mississippi.org
Mississippi Emergency Management Agency
(MEMA)
601-352-8314 www.msema.org/index.org
Mississippi Forestry Commission (MFC)
601-359-1386 www.mfc.state.ms.us
Mississippi Soil & Water Conservation
Commission (MSWCC)
601-354-7645 www.mswcc.state.ms.us
Mississippi State Department of Health,
Bureau of Environmental Health (MSDH/BEH)
601-576-7400 www.msdh.state.ms.us
Mississippi State University Cooperative
Extension Service (MSU/CES)
662-325-8747 www.msucares.com
Yazoo Mississippi Delta Joint Water
Management District (YMD)
662-686-7712 www.ymd.org
Yazoo-Mississippi Delta Levee Board (YMDLB)
662-624-4397 www.leveeboard.org
United States Government Agencies
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Vicksburg
District (USACE)
601-631-5000 www.mvk.usace.army.mil
30
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Waterways
Experiment Station (WES)
601-634-6111 www.erdc.usace.army.mil
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
Farm Service Agency
601-965-4300 www.fsa.usda.gov
Natural Resource Conservation Service
(USDA/NRCS)
601-965-4940 www.ms.nrcs.usda.gov
Forest Service (USDA/USFS)
601-965-4391 www.fs.fed.us
Agricultural Research Service, National
Sedimentation Lab (USDA/ARS/NSL)
662-232-2900 www.ars.usda.gov
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,
Region 4 (EPA/R4)
404-562-9900 www.epa.gov/region4
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,
Gulf of Mexico Program (EPA/GMPO)
228-688-3726 www.epa.gov/regionr/programs
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS)
601-965-4900 www.fws.gov
U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)
601-933-2900 www.usgs.gov
Stakeholder Organizations
Delta F.A.R.M.
662-686-3370 www.deltafarm.net
Delta Wildlife (DW)
662-686-3370 www.deltawildlife.org
Ducks Unlimited (DU)
601-206-5446 www.ducks.org
Wildlife Mississippi
662-686-3375 www.wildlifemiss.org
The Nature Conservancy (TNC)
601-713-3355 www.nature.org
Mississippi Association of Soil and Water
Conservation Districts (SWCDs)
601-354-7645 www.mswcc.state.ms.us/macd.html
Citizen’s Guide to Water Quality in the Yazoo River Basin
Sustaining
Our Environmental Resources
and Economic Development
Citizens of Mississippi understand the importance of
their natural resources, both for their environmental
and economic values. Locally led teams are working
to identify concerns and develop watershed implementation plans. These plans will not only protect,
restore, and sustain environmental resources, but
also provide opportunities for economic development and community growth. The Mississippi
Department of Environmental Quality and its resource agency partners are actively involved with
these local watershed teams through Mississippi’s
Basin Management Approach. Collaborative watershed planning, education, protection, and restorative
initiatives are all important tools for carrying out this
important work. Mississippians are working hard to
preserve their abundant natural resources that
provide the outstanding fishing, hunting, economic
development, and quality of life they enjoy.
Fishing for generations
Citizens Can Do Much to Protect Their
Watershed by:
„ Getting involved with a local watershed team.
The success of the team will be greatly
enhanced by active local involvement.
„ Requesting education and outreach materials
that will help them become better stewards of
their natural resources. A wide range of
materials and resources are available from
numerous sources—contact your local NRCS or
Extension Service office or Basin Coordinator.
Irrigating a rice field
„ Implementing Best Management Practices to reduce sediment, fertilizer, and pesticide
loading to adjacent streams. Technical and funding resources are available—contact your
local NRCS, Extension Service office, or Basin Coordinator.
„ Properly disposing of pesticide containers and household chemicals.
„ Inspecting and servicing septic systems at least every two years.
„ Recycling used oil and antifreeze.
„ Properly disposing of garbage, nonhazardous household wastes, and wild game carcasses.
Report incidents of illegal dumping.
Citizen’s Guide to Water Quality in the Yazoo River Basin
31
Information Center
Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality
PO Box 10385
Jackson, MS 39289-0385
601-961-5171
www.deq.state.ms.us